Anthropomorphism – Your Dog is Not Human! Please Love it Enough to Treat it Like a Dog!

Here’s the deal. We all snuggle with and speak kindly to our beloved dogs, right? We love them, play with them, keep them by our sides. However, you and I realize that our dogs are dogs. People that chronically treat their dogs as if they (the dogs) are human beings are all about their own egos, and not, at all, about caring for their pets.

They clearly think that treating their dogs as if the dogs were human beings shows that they love their pets more than we love ours…but in reality, the opposite is true. It really just shows their stupidity. These people are using their dogs to gratify their own egos. Their treatment of the dogs has nothing, at all, to do with what is best for the animal and has everything to do with bringing attention to themselves.

People have different motives for their anthropomorphism. For example, one may lack social skills with other people. Dogs may motivate lonely individuals to seek out needed connections from nonhuman items. Anthropomorphism helps them to simplify and make more sense of complications in their lives. They substitute the dog where another human being could possibly fit in.

Dogs have specific characteristics that are exclusive to dogs. Therefore, feeding them people food, projecting human motives and emotions onto them, and treating them as if they are humans can cause great harm to them. In extreme cases, it can also mean the death of the dog. Dogs simply do not think like humans. THEY ARE DIFFERENT ANIMALS! Why not respect the dog for being a dog, and treat the animal according to how it should be naturally treated? THAT is REAL love.

How would you like it if some other species decided to treat YOU as though you were one of them, instead of a human being?

When people take their dogs to concerts where loud music is playing, they do not do this for the dog’s enjoyment. They do it to bring attention to themselves. Loud noises can cause trauma in a dog. It is very bad for them. This is a serious issue for dogs. Taking a dog into a smoky, crowded club is bad for it. Standing up close to speakers while a rock and roll band plays is bad for dogs….In fact, the veterinary clinic at Mississippi State did a study on the affects of loud noises and dogs’ hearing. Dogs that were exposed repeatedly to loud noises suffered serious hearing loss. I love my dog enough not to do this! She might bring a lot of attention TO ME, if I take her to a club or concert, because she is really cute…. but doing this would not be for her own good, so I prefer to leave her in the quiet safety of home when I go to these places.

Why people believe that feeding their dogs human food is good for them is just another of the egocentric projections that is bad for them. Dogs are not people! Chocolate, Macadamia nuts, avocados…these foods may sound delicious to you, but they’re actually quite dangerous for dogs. A good brand of specially-formulated food for dogs is ALL your dog needs! If you feed it a high quality, lamb and rice food for ten years, it’s not going to go ‘I’m bored of this’, because dogs don’t understand there’s other choices out there. Humans get bored with with the same things in their diet because they know they can have chicken, or carrots, or cake- they have the imagination to know this. Dogs don’t- unless they’re introduced to that variety. As far as they’re aware, you, the provider, have put down this food and they should eat it. There is absolutely no need to feed your dog anything other than his or her dog food. Doing so is about YOU, the HUMAN dog OWNER….NOT for the good of the DOG! Love your pet enough to treat it like a dog!

At times, people will swing into their favorite fast food place and grab a hamburger patty or some chicken, thinking that this won’t hurt their dogs. However, fast food places are notorious for using inferior quality, factory farmed meat that is pumped full of hormones and worse. This meat is not good for humans and it is not good for dogs!

Chocolate, caffeine and coffee all contain substances called methylxanthines, which are found in cacao seeds, the fruit of the plant used to make coffee and in the nuts of an extract used in some sodas. When eaten or drunk by pets, methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. Note that darker chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate. White chocolate has the lowest level of methylxanthines, while baking chocolate contains the highest.

I love it. Do you? Great. Don’t give it to your dog, however. The leaves, fruit, seeds and bark of avocados contain Persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. Birds and rodents are especially sensitive to avocado poisoning, and can develop congestion, difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation around the heart. Some ingestions may even be fatal.

Macadamia Nuts

Please! You would feed your dog Macadamia nuts? Really? Macadamia nuts and other nuts can cause serious problems for your canine companion. These nuts have caused weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and last approximately 12 to 48 hours.

Grapes & Raisins

Although the toxic substance within grapes and raisins is unknown, these fruits can cause kidney failure. In pets who already have certain health problems, signs may be more dramatic.

Yeast Dough

Yeast dough can rise and cause gas to accumulate in your pet’s digestive system. This can be painful and can cause the stomach or intestines to rupture. Because the risk diminishes after the dough is cooked and the yeast has fully risen, pets can have small bits of bread as treats. However, these treats should not constitute more than 5 percent to 10 percent of your pet’s daily caloric intake.

Raw/Undercooked Meat, Eggs and Bones

Raw meat and raw eggs can contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that can be harmful to pets. In addition, raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin that decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin), which can lead to skin and coat problems. Feeding your pet raw bones may seem like a natural and healthy option that might occur if your pet lived in the wild. However, this can be very dangerous for a domestic pet, who might choke on bones, or sustain a grave injury should the bone splinter and become lodged in or puncture your pet’s digestive tract.

Xylitol

Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, including gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste. It can cause insulin release in most species, which can lead to liver failure. The increase in insulin leads to hypoglycemia (lowered sugar levels). Initial signs of toxicosis include vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination. Signs can progress to recumbancy and seizures. Elevated liver enzymes and liver failure can be seen within a few days.

Onions, Garlic, Chives

These vegetables and herbs can cause gastrointestinal irritation and could lead to red blood cell damage. Although cats are more susceptible, dogs are also at risk if a large enough amount is consumed. Toxicity is normally diagnosed through history, clinical signs and microscopic confirmation of Heinz bodies. An occasional low dose, such as what might be found in pet foods or treats, likely will not cause a problem, but we recommend that you do NOT give your pets large quantities of these foods.

Milk

Because pets do not possess significant amounts of lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk), milk and other milk-based products cause them diarrhea or other digestive upset.

Salt

Large amounts of salt can produce excessive thirst and urination, or even sodium ion poisoning in pets. Signs that your pet may have eaten too many salty foods include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures and even death. In other words, keep those salty chips to yourself!

As always, if you suspect your pet has eaten any of the above-mentioned foods, please note the amount ingested and contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. And if you want your dog to feel safe and secure and to be happy and healthy, TREAT IT LIKE WHAT IT IS – A DOG!!!